Campaign to restore pre-austerity pay levels

17 April, 2019

Mark Ferguson

#stuc19 Congress called on the STUC General Council to organise and co-ordinate a public sector pay campaign for above-inflation pay increases for all public sector workers, with an ultimate aim of restoring pre-austerity pay levels.

This would include the co-ordination of bargaining timetables and pay claims, and also of campaign activities, improving communication about ballots and industrial action, and offering full support to all affiliates when calling industrial action over pay.

Mark Ferguson, UNISON Scotland, pledged UNISON’s support to a co-ordinated pay campaign with other public service unions, however, warned that whilst there were problems posed by varying bargaining timetables and pay demands, we shouldn’t let this be a barrier.

Mark explained that public sector workers across Scotland have paid the price for austerity with their health, pay, jobs and conditions. He slammed the Scottish Government’s pay policy, and their failure to grasp the key issues faced by public sector workers. “They seriously think they are getting it right and are trying to convince us by benchmarking themselves with the very worst out there.”

Mark said, “UNISON led the campaign to “SCRAP THE CAP” – a campaign which was taken to the heart of government with many inventive and creative ideas culminating in an outstanding march and rally in Edinburgh.”

“We will need to agree some key principles in order to ensure one bargaining group’s progress doesn’t negatively impact on other groups. We can use our collective strength to end years of pay freezes, below inflation rises and losses to terms and conditions. “

“It is estimated that losses since 2010 average are around 15% to 20% – it is time to have this addressed. But let’s not stop there, we have a chance through co-ordination to also bring an end to the disgraceful ‘gender pay gap’ that is as prevalent in the public sector as it is in the private sector.”